Ryan Hurst, who was announced to play Kratos in Amazon's God Of War TV show earlier this year, has been forced to step down after tearing a bicep on set. The injury occurred in late June while performing a stunt, according to TMZ, putting production on hold while Hurst undergoes surgery. Initial hopes were for a recovery by mid-August, but Hurst's rehabilitation could take as long as a year, meaning he would not be able to return until midway through 2027.
Four Completed Episodes to Be Reshot
A follow-up report by Deadline states that despite four episodes already being fully completed, the decision has been made to find a new actor to take over as Kratos and reshoot all of Hurst's scenes. The plan remains to film two seasons of the show back-to-back, though there is no targeted release window or any real footage beyond one promo photo depicting Hurst as Kratos and child actor Callum Vinson as Kratos' son Atreus. That photo was roundly mocked for looking silly.
Age Concerns for Atreus Actor
The presence of Vinson likely played a part in the decision to recast Hurst. Had the production waited for Hurst to recover until he was fit to film again, Atreus would then be too old for the role. Either way, it is a shame that Hurst's portrayal of the character will not now be in the show.
Potential Replacements
As for who could be called in to replace Hurst, nothing official has been shared yet. Common suggestions from before Hurst's confirmation included Dave Bautista, Dominic Purcell, and Chris Hemsworth; the last of which would be amusing considering he is another Thor actor.
Release Window and Cross-Promotion
Despite the lack of a release date, the show is presumed to be aiming to start airing in 2027, which would make sense as that is when God Of War Laufey is expected to launch as well. It would be a smart use of cross-promotion, especially since the events of God Of War Laufey appear to be taking place concurrently to Kratos and Atreus' own journey.
